XP Proand XP Home

B

Bob The Builder

New Member
Here is my situation: I bought my kids a pc and it came with XP Pro installed along with AVG Free and some other software installed, without any discs. I have XP Home on another pc and I have the disc for that. Both pc's have the license sticker on them. What I want to know is can I load the XP Home on their pc because they got a virus that is really bad (can't run MalwareBytes or any kind of a/v). I was going to re-format and I think that gets rid of the virus. I don't have the disc for Pro so I was going to load Home using my copy and license. Is there a way to get a disc for reloading Pro without buying a new disc? The pc maker/reconditioner wants $125 for re-install of Pro, but I paid $140 for the entire pc! What all do I need to get their pc up and running again? Drivers? Programs? Any help would be great!
 
Does this machine have a recovery partition? But since XP Pro is installed, I doubt it. If you don't have an install Cd you can try to find the same flavor of XP pro that was used to install it and use the key that is used in the system now.

I can help you clear off the virus and see if we can get your system back to normal. If you want to try this route download and run combofix in safe mode and then post a hijackthis log. If you try to run combofix and it won't run either then you will have to take the hard drive out of that system and slave it to another system and scan using a fully updated virus scanner. It should find the offending files stopping virus programs and malware programs from running. Then put the drive back in the original system and scan again using malwarebytes and then post a hijackthis log along with malwarebytes log.

Let me know what you want to do.
 
If you would like to take the time to help me with the virus, I would appreciate it! It is late now, but I will try to download and run Combofix and see if it works. Does Combofix come with HijackThis, or should I download that as well?
 
Will not run Combofix in SafeMode. So now I have to take the hard drive out of infected machine and put it in a running machine and run Combofix on it or just the virus scan? Can I use AVG Free to run as the "fully updated virus scanner" or do you suggest something else? What steps do I have to take in order to put the infected hd in another machine? You mention "slaving" it, do I have to go into BIOS to do this? This is going to be new to me so please be patient. I will learn from this and maybe someday help someone else! Thank you for your time!
 
Bob The Builder said:
Here is my situation: I bought my kids a pc and it came with XP Pro installed along with AVG Free and some other software installed, without any discs. I have XP Home on another pc and I have the disc for that. Both pc's have the license sticker on them. What I want to know is can I load the XP Home on their pc because they got a virus that is really bad
Click to expand...
A computer must be sold with either a Recovery disc (or Windows disc) or a recovery partition
Otherwise it cannot be legally sold with Windows installed

You cannot load XP Home, on to XP Pro machine, using either key
The Pro machine must have a XP Pro Windows Setup disc (or recovery disc if OEM)
To install XP Home you need another XP Home key, you cannot use the same key that is installed on another computer


If Combofix does not run in Safe Mode
Try uninstalling AVG (through Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
Then, run the AVG Remover Tool: http://www.avg.com/filedir/util/avg_arm_sup_____.dir/avgremover.exe
Then Restart
Then try Combofix, in "Normal Mode"

Let me know the outcome (actually attach >
attach.gif
the log
 
kimsland said:
A computer must be sold with either a Recovery disc (or Windows disc) or a recovery partition
Otherwise it cannot be legally sold with Windows installed
Click to expand...

Where can I find the recovery partiton?

kimsland said:
You cannot load XP Home, on to XP Pro machine, using either key
The Pro machine must have a XP Pro Windows Setup disc (or recovery disc if OEM)
To install XP Home you need another XP Home key, you cannot use the same key that is installed on another computer
Click to expand...

Got it.


kimsland said:
If Combofix does not run in Safe Mode
Try uninstalling AVG (through Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
Then, run the AVG Remover Tool: http://www.avg.com/filedir/util/avg_arm_sup_____.dir/avgremover.exe
Then Restart
Then try Combofix, in "Normal Mode"

Let me know the outcome (actually attach >
attach.gif
the log
Click to expand...

Went to Control Panel and double clicked Add/Remove and the little hour glass appears very briefly and then nothing, just like Combofix or MalwareBytes! I will try to use the AVG Remover and see if that works.
 
Tried the AVG Remover, it ran but then could not boot in normal mode, but could in Safe Mode. Combofix also did not run in Safe Mode. Cannot get it to boot in normal mode.
 
Bob The Builder said:
Will not run Combofix in SafeMode. So now I have to take the hard drive out of infected machine and put it in a running machine and run Combofix on it or just the virus scan? Can I use AVG Free to run as the "fully updated virus scanner" or do you suggest something else? What steps do I have to take in order to put the infected hd in another machine? You mention "slaving" it, do I have to go into BIOS to do this? This is going to be new to me so please be patient. I will learn from this and maybe someday help someone else! Thank you for your time!
Click to expand...

Is this an IDE hard drive or a SATA hard drive? If IDE, then you would make the original in the new system master(should already be set that way anyway) and the the drive that is infected as slave. There are jumpers on the back of the hard drive between the power connector and IDE connector. The label on the drive should tell you which pins belong to master, slave, and cable select. All you do is, place the little plastic piece over the 2 pins that you want to jump.

Do you have any computer savvy friends that can help you put this drive in another system?
 
johnb35 said:
Is this an IDE hard drive or a SATA hard drive? If IDE, then you would make the original in the new system master(should already be set that way anyway) and the the drive that is infected as slave. There are jumpers on the back of the hard drive between the power connector and IDE connector. The label on the drive should tell you which pins belong to master, slave, and cable select. All you do is, place the little plastic piece over the 2 pins that you want to jump.

Do you have any computer savvy friends that can help you put this drive in another system?
Click to expand...

I do think it is an IDE, but will check that out when I open up the machine. I am familiar with the inside and will be able to do the install/un-install myself. Since the infected h/d has OS on there, I just didn't know if there was any settings in the BIOS or something to deal with. Like if there was going to be a "dual boot" situation.
When I do get it in the other machine, what about the "fully updated virus scanner"? Can I use AVG Free or should I use something else? Recommendations? Thanks for the continued assistance!
 
When a malware infection exists AVG will usually always corrupt
The first thing it stops is Network access
 
Bodaggit23 said:
It's recommended to uninstall AVG, then run the AVG Remover.

Then install Avira or Microsoft Security Essentials.
Click to expand...

I tried to un-install, but nothing happened when you click on the button in the Start Menu. Can't even get into "Add/Remove Programs" through Control Panel. This is some virus I am dealing with!!
Do I install Avira on the h/d after I put it in the un-infected machine or while it's still in the infected machine before I put it in the un-infected machine?
 
You need to make sure that there is a fully updated virus program installed in the machine that you are putting your hard drive in. I've never had a problem with avg after an infection. There is a lot of infections out there that will stop an antivirus and malware program from opening/updating. As I've said before, I've had very good luck with AVG, no problems whatsoever.
 
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